The Basic Rider Safety course in Pennsylvania is 15 hours split between five hours in the classroom, learning techniques and what to watch for on the road, and ten hours on the riding range, putting that knowledge into practice under the guidance of instructors. But if you don’t have time to spend on the course, here are some important safety tips to keep in mind.

Always makes sure that your motorcycle is in good working condition prior to leaving; many accidents can be avoided by simply checking tire pressure. Test the lights, brakes and turn signals to make sure they’re functioning. Check your oil and fuel levels and make sure that the mirrors are in the proper position.

Sometimes, there’s no way to avoid an accident. In those situations, every rider needs to be positive that their gear will hold up in the accident. Choose a high-quality helmet with the DOT shield, meaning it complies with federal safety standards, and pair it with either a face shield or goggles. Safety is an excellent excuse to shell out the extra money for a leather jacket with padding; while you’re there, get the pants as well. Black looks cool, but bright colors help drivers to see you better. Always wear shoes that are durable and cover your ankle.

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Under the Pedestrian Safety Act of 2010, the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is required to begin a rulemaking process to determine minimum requirements for vehicle noise. NHTSA studies from 2009 and 2011 confirmed that hybrid and electric vehicles are too quiet for the blind and inattentive pedestrians to hear them approaching. Though the studies showed little difference in accidents that occurred over 35 mph, where wind and noise from the tires negate engine noise, data did show that hybrid and electric vehicles are roughly 37 percent more likely to strike pedestrians and 66 percent more likely to strike cyclists than vehicles with traditional combustion engines.

While the victims in these accidents didn’t hear this problem coming, should auto manufacturers have taken this into account in the first place? Our nation has many similar laws in place, such as adding scent to natural gas to prevent poisoning. But there’s a more direct correlation that lasted several hundred years: sleigh bells. When people were still driving sleighs pulled by horses, many municipalities required that sleigh bells were loud enough to be heard from a certain distance, and levied hefty fines to those whose bells were too quiet.

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The time period between Memorial Day and Labor Day is commonly referred to as “The 100 Deadliest Days” for teenage drivers. Statistically, seven of the ten most fatal driving days of the year for teenage drivers fall between those days. For drivers that are 16- and 17-year-old drivers, July and August are the deadliest months.

According to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, young drivers that engage less frequently in risky driving behavior spend the most amount of time with the parents talking about driving. President and CEO of AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety Peter Kissinger stated, “The research and our experience tells us that the earlier we can get parents engaged in this dialogue and the longer we can keep them engaged, the more likely their teens will be safer drivers. But we live in an age where time seems to be at a premium. I’m sure a lot of parents find it difficult to allocate the amount of time with their son or daughter that we would consider ideal.”

Experts say that it’s really not so much about parents having the so-called “Conversation” with their teens, but having a series of conversations in an ongoing discussion about safe driving habits. Many experts also believe that this discussion should begin long before teenagers are ready to drive, in some cases as early as 12 or 13.

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Recently Pennsylvania lawmakers met to discuss the plan to close the state police barracks in Ephrata and shift the positions of personnel at a Lancaster station. Despite the concerns of residents, the law enforcement agency is framing the possible changes as a positive change for the state. According to State Police Commissioner Frank Noonan, the changes are simply a reassignment of priorities to evenly redistribute troopers across municipalities. Noonan stated, “The zones will say the same. Our patrol areas will stay the same. The amount of cars in those zone areas will stay the same. What would happen is we would be moving some of our administrative personnel.”

However, even Noonan admits that if the agency continues to lose troopers, “serious adjustments” will have to be made. If all the vacant positions in the state police were filled, the ranks would number around 4,700; but Noonan stated that it’s possible that vacancies in the agency could increase to 600 by the end of this year.

Noonan said, “You know, we have to make decisions so that these things don’t hit us all at once. That’s basically why we’re discussing these plans. This would be something we would start, maybe we would do it (in Lancaster) first, but it will go throughout the state.”

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This recall affects approximately 720 SX and QH Boys’ Zip-fronted Hooded Jackets that were available through dd’s Discounts outlets across the country form August 2011 through December 2011. The jackets were available in army green, aqua green, black and feature fake fur lining. They can be identified by the model numbers 1006, 1029, 1058, and 1061; however, the model numbers are only printed on the original hang tag an do not appear on the product itself. The recall was initiated after Bonded Apparel learned that the jackets fail to comply with guidelines developed by the CPSC to prevent strangulation and entrapment incidents in upper outerwear. To date, no injuries have been reported in relation to this recall.

Consumers are being encouraged to remove the jackets to children’s possession and remove the drawstring to eliminate the hazard at once. Consumers can also contact the company directly to receive instructions on how to return the product to receive a full refund.

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Nelson Labs section leader Thor Rollins, RM (NRCM), stated, “The presentation on the newest trends from the FDA on hemocompatibility and genotoxicity testing will explain what the changes mean for medical device manufacturers. Although these standards are not official, the information gives you insight on the current thinking from regulatory agencies.”

The company will conduct 10-minute presentations on topics such as “Recent FDA Trends Impacting in vitro testing in Hemocompatibility,” “Cleaning Validations for Newly Manufactured Devices,” “Recent FDA Trends Impacting in vitro testing in Genotoxicity,” and “Cleaning Validations for Reusable Devices and Recent FDA Trends.” The presentations will provide information to manufacturers of medical devices for future development of medical devices in these fields and to facilitate more diligent FDA approval by adhering to current standards of approval.

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Blue Link is a mobile application that is designed to combine safety, service and infotainment into one package. The company used consumer feedback and real-world functionality to test and develop the new version of Blue Link. Senior group manager for Blue Link Michael Deitz stated, “We looked at how our customers use their Smartphones to enhance various aspects of their lives. We wanted to design an app that allows them to enhance their Hyundai ownership experience through Blue Link.”

Through the new app, users will be able to remotely operate several features about their Hyundai, including controlling door locks, horn and lights, lights-only, remote vehicle start, and manage multiple vehicles with Blue Link. The app also has several unique features like the car locater, parking meter/timer, and vehicle diagnostics. The program also allows the user to research and save points of interest for later use in the vehicle’s navigation systems.

The redesigned app is part of several enhancements Hyundai is planning around Blue Link to make the company’s vehicles safer and creating a more user-friendly, interactive driving experience.

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The products included in the medical device recalls include alcohol prep pads, catheters, needles, and latex gloves. Roughly 82 million units were documented in medical device recalls by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Enforcement Reports, an increase of about 508 percent and a five-quarter high. The agency also noted that approximately one-third of the companies involved in these recalls were involved in more than one. Vice of recalls at Stericycle ExpertRECALL Mike Rozembajgier stated, “While the quarter-over-quarter increase in medical device recalls is significant, this change was not all that unexpected given that recalls documented in fourth quarter 2011 Enforcement Reports were at an unprecedented low. However, what is troublesome is the dramatic increase in units affected by the recalls and continued number of repeat offenders. It’s scary to think about given the increasing number of devices that American patients rely on to maintain and improve their health. Consumer and patient safety should be the number-one priority for every manufacturer, distributor, retailer, doctor’s office and healthcare facility.”

Consumer product recalls that were put into action at the request of the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) increased about 24 percent, with fire hazards being the number one reason for the recall. Though the quarter saw an increase of consumer products overall, recalls for children’s product saw a five-quarter low and comprised on 13 percent of recalls conducted by the CPSC.

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This recall affects all Hydromorphone Injections in prefilled glass cartridges intended for use with the Carpuject Syringe System that were distributed from September 2011 through October 2011. The recalled lot of cartridges can be identified by the lot number 07547LL and expiration date July 1, 2013. The lot was distributed to wholesalers and a small number of hospitals across the nation. Hydromorphone is an opioid pain medication and can have life threatening consequences if overdosed. Symptoms of an overdose from opioid pain medications include respiratory depression, low blood pressure and reduced heart rate, including circulatory collapse. The company has not gotten any reports of adverse health effects resulting from the recall of this lot. Hospira has initiated an investigation in to root cause of the defect to determine future preventative actions.

Hospitals and wholesalers carrying this product are being urged to check their inventory for this lot number and quarantine the product at once if found, until it can be returned to the company.

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The recall applies to approximately 24 model year 2012 Gooseneck Trailers that feature Dexter electric/hydraulic (E/H) brake actuator pumps. This recall was put into action after Wilson Trailer Company learned that certain brake actuator pumps could have possible been improperly heat treated. If these pumps were not properly heat treated, certain critical components held within could be subjected to premature wear, potentially leading to prematurely failure. Since the brake actuator is responsible for the braking ability of the trailer brakes, the failure of the actuator would result in the loss of braking power for the trailer and increase the risk of a collision for motorists.

The company is currently in the process of notifying owners affected by this recall. Owners will be instructed to set up an appointment at their nearest dealer where mechanics will replace the brake actuators for free.

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